Host Wenchi Yu speaks with Bill Russo, an auto industry expert with a lifelong career in Detroit and China (Chrysler), about China's rapid rise to become the world leader in automobile manufacturing, sales, and exports, as well as the global leader in new energy vehicles, batteries, and the "internet of mobility."

00:00
China's Automotive Revolution

02:29
Bill Russo's Journey in the Auto Industry

04:31
The Growth of China's Auto Market

11:22
The Shift from Foreign to Chinese Domestic Brands

15:12
Market-Driven Growth in China's Auto Industry

22:30
The Rise of Electric Vehicles in China

30:47
The Internet of Mobility and Technological Innovation

35:15
The Digital Transformation of Automobiles

39:07
Impact of Trade Wars on Globalization

45:59
Navigating Tariffs and Supply Chains

50:58
The Future of Transportation and Mobility

01:01:09
China's Role in the Global Automotive Landscape

Perspectives with Wenchi Yu

YouTube: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLkK1a7U8kP0TgXhvI5Bj70H4cPPlapCdQ&si=RuA_jZROR2ynRbxH

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6kXiEF08IjtT3j1DyEnBbG?si=68ab3ea172594620

Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/perspectives-with-wenchi-yu/id1793854395

Host Wenchi Yu speaks with Zak Dychtwald, author of Young China: How the Restless Generation Will Change Their Country and the World. Dychtwald, a leading expert on China's market and workforce, discusses the dangers of underestimating Chinese competition and how negative perceptions and a poor understanding of Chinese businesses and their innovations can lead to misguided global business strategies. Dychtwald emphasizes that China's market is not only significant for its economy but also serves as a proving ground for products that can succeed globally. The conversation highlights the need for a nuanced perception of China, moving beyond government narratives to appreciate the vibrancy and competitiveness of its market.

Reference: The Risks of Underestimating Competition from China, by Zak Dychtwald, Harvard Business Review

00:00
Introduction

01:22
Zach Dychtwald's Journey and Insights on China

07:21
The Rise of Young China and Consumer Trends

09:01
Resurfacing Interest in Chinese People and Culture

10:40
The Risks of Underestimating Chinese Competition

12:11
Innovation Parity: China vs. the West

14:15
The Global Reach of Chinese Products

18:30
Changes at the Canton Fair: A New Era

21:41
China as a Proving Ground for Global Products

23:45
Navigating Globalization: Chinese Brands on the World Stage

25:04
Pharmaceuticals and MedTech: China's Global Health Innovations

26:58
China's Leadership in New Energy and Technology

29:26
Understanding China's Domestic Focus and Global Ambitions

32:02
The Belt and Road Initiative: Stability and Economic Growth

35:00
Innovation Ecosystem: China's Competitive Edge

40:12
Assessing US-China Competition: Risks and Opportunities

45:10
Learning from China: Strategies for Global Competitiveness

Perspectives with Wenchi Yu

YouTube: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLkK1a7U8kP0TgXhvI5Bj70H4cPPlapCdQ&si=RuA_jZROR2ynRbxH

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6kXiEF08IjtT3j1DyEnBbG?si=68ab3ea172594620

Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/perspectives-with-wenchi-yu/id1793854395

Host Wenchi Yu speaks with Yanzhong Huang of the Council on Foreign Relations about the impact of the second Trump term on American soft power and the possibility of China filling the resulting void. The conversation delves into the late Harvard Kennedy School Professor Joseph Nye's concept of soft power, the importance of education and foreign assistance, the U.S. pivot to hard power, and China's growing global leadership.

00:00

The Legacy of Professor Joseph Nye and Soft Power

02:18

Guest Yanzhong Huang and the Definition of Soft Power

04:57

The State of American Education and Its Global Appeal

11:18

Foreign Assistance and Its Role in Soft Power

16:17

The Shift Towards Hard Power in U.S. Policy

Perspectives with Wenchi Yu

YouTube: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLkK1a7U8kP0TgXhvI5Bj70H4cPPlapCdQ&si=RuA_jZROR2ynRbxH

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6kXiEF08IjtT3j1DyEnBbG?si=68ab3ea172594620

Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/perspectives-with-wenchi-yu/id1793854395

Host Wenchi Yu speaks with Payhuan Shiao, founder & CEO of Immortal Studios. A Hollywood native, Payhuan has been at the center of the Hollywood-China filmmaking industry for the last three decades. Amid escalating trade tensions, including Trump's 100% tariffs on foreign films and China's import limits on American movies, is the decades-long, fluctuating Hollywood-China collaboration nearing its end? Beyond trade, factors such as China's growing suspicion of foreign influence, stricter censorship, and its booming domestic film industry—now dominating the local box office and diminishing Hollywood's market share and co-productions—point to a significant shift. The success of Ne Zha 2 further highlights China's growing status as a cultural exporter and producer of high-quality films.

00:00

Introduction to U.S.-China Film Relations

02:23

Guest: Peihuan Shiao's Background

07:16

The First U.S.-China Film Co-Production

10:22

Cautious Collaboration: Hollywood and China

16:23

The Evolution of the Chinese Film Industry

21:54

Current Challenges in the Chinese Entertainment Industry

24:06

The Rise of Chinese Investment in Hollywood

27:09

Changing Dynamics in the Film Industry

30:11

Emergence of Martial Fantasy in Global Pop Culture

33:35

Political Influences on Film Consumption

36:33

The Global Competition in Film

39:30

Future Trends in US-China Film Relations

42:59

Cultural Narratives and the Hero's Journey

Perspectives with Wenchi Yu

YouTube: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLkK1a7U8kP0TgXhvI5Bj70H4cPPlapCdQ&si=RuA_jZROR2ynRbxH

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6kXiEF08IjtT3j1DyEnBbG?si=68ab3ea172594620

Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/perspectives-with-wenchi-yu/id1793854395

Host Wenchi Yu speaks with Andy Rothman, a veteran Chinese economy observer, about his recent trip to China amidst tariff escalations. Andy shares firsthand accounts from entrepreneurs in Xiamen, American businessmen in Shanghai, and policymakers in Beijing. His key observation: not anger, but bewilderment.

00:00

Trump 2.0 Tariffs and China’s Reactions So Far

01:11

Guest Introduction: Andy Rothman

04:08

Reactions from Hong Kong

08:52

Entrepreneurs in Xiaman: Bewilderment Over Tariffs

16:36

Shanghai and Beijing: Uncertainty in Business

21:27

What Would It Take for China to Come to The Negotiation Table?

26:05

China's Preparedness and Confidence

34:54

Clash of the Titans: Unpredictability of US-China Trade Negotiations

Perspectives with Wenchi Yu

YouTube: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLkK1a7U8kP0TgXhvI5Bj70H4cPPlapCdQ&si=RuA_jZROR2ynRbxH

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6kXiEF08IjtT3j1DyEnBbG?si=68ab3ea172594620

Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/perspectives-with-wenchi-yu/id1793854395

Host Wenchi Yu speaks with Yao Zhao, founder of 50 Hertz Tingly Foods and a former World Bank clean energy specialist, about the impact of tariffs on his Sichuan pepper-infused food and beverage import business. Yao discusses launching his company during the COVID-19 pandemic, preparing for potential Trump 2.0 tariffs, managing cash flow amid rising costs, and the significance of supplier relationships. The conversation also covers consumer engagement, cost mitigation strategies, and Yao's exploration of alternative markets in response to the evolving trade dynamics between the US and China.

Yao is on a mission to introduce Sichuan pepper from his hometown in China to the world. He believes that this trade war will push China to move up the value chain, to expedite its transition from an export-oriented to a domestic consumption-oriented economy, and to reconsider its relationship with Europe and other countries.

00:00

The Trade War Landscape

02:52

Sichuan Pepper: A Unique Culinary Ingredient

05:57

Navigating Tariffs and Import Challenges

09:06

Business Strategies Amidst Uncertainty

11:46

Consumer Engagement and Direct Sales

14:46

Exploring Alternative Markets

18:05

The Bigger Picture: Economic Implications

20:56

Future of Trade Relations

23:53

Closing

Perspectives with Wenchi Yu

YouTube: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLkK1a7U8kP0TgXhvI5Bj70H4cPPlapCdQ&si=RuA_jZROR2ynRbxH

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6kXiEF08IjtT3j1DyEnBbG?si=68ab3ea172594620

Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/perspectives-with-wenchi-yu/id1793854395

Host Wenchi Yu speaks with Ken Wilcox, author of The China Business Conundrum: Ensuring Win Win Doesn’t Mean Lose Twice, CEO of Silicon Valley Bank (SVB, 2001-2011) and Vice Chairman of SVB’s joint venture in Shanghai (SSVB) until 2019. He is a former member of the Board of Directors of the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco.

Ken characterizes the complexities of the joint venture project as "one bed two dreams," a key reason why Silicon Valley Bank’s project with Shanghai Pudong Development Bank fell short of expectations.

Reflecting on these lessons, Ken advises businesses entering the Chinese market to be thoroughly prepared, understand their leverage, study Chinese negotiation styles from works like Sun Tzu's Art of War, and cultivate strong government relations, recognizing the ultimate control of the government and the Chinese Communist Party over key decisions.

This is a timely discussion as the US and China continue public posturing while expressing a desire for one of the most consequential economic and trade negotiations.

00:00
Introduction to U.S.-China Relations

01:33
Ken Wilcox's Journey in Banking

04:28
The Invitation to China

07:40
Negotiation Dynamics in Joint Ventures

10:26
Cultural Misunderstandings in Business

17:28
Lessons from the Joint Venture Experience

31:23
Knowledge Transfer and Future Relations

35:32
The Complexity of Copying: A Cultural Perspective

39:00
Navigating Chinese Negotiation Styles

44:30
Understanding the Role of the CCP in Business

47:35
American Naivety in International Business

52:54
Cultural Differences and Communication Challenges

01:06:41
Strategies for Successful Business in China

Perspectives with Wenchi Yu

YouTube: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLkK1a7U8kP0TgXhvI5Bj70H4cPPlapCdQ&si=RuA_jZROR2ynRbxH

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6kXiEF08IjtT3j1DyEnBbG?si=68ab3ea172594620

Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/perspectives-with-wenchi-yu/id1793854395

Host Wenchi Yu speaks with Ker Gibbs, author of Selling to China and former Chairman and President of the American Chamber of Commerce in Shanghai about his decades of experience navigating the evolving U.S.-China economic relationship—including the pivotal shifts that began during the first Trump administration.

He highlighted the shift that occurred during Trump’s first term:

• Many American companies initially greeted Trump’s unique approach with a mix of skepticism and curiosity, wondering if his negotiating style could actually work.
• The Trump administration was prepared to let U.S. businesses endure short-term pain to address long-standing issues. Not just the tariffs, but the ban on WeChat and TikTok were examples of putting pain on our own companies.

Ker's prediction for Trump 2.0:

• It’s not entirely clear what the goal is this time, but Trump seems to be using tariffs as a lever to push for U.S. economic “self-sufficiency”—a concept mirrored in China’s own economic policies.
• Going forward, Trump’s method seems to be "shoot first and negotiate later."
• China’s economy is transitioning toward a low-growth, low-profit model.
• Multinational companies operating in China may need to adopt an entirely different business model, one that disconnects them from other markets.
• Immediate term, expect more pain; medium term, US-China trade disputes are likely to be resolved; long term: deep ideological differences and mutual distrust will persist and are unlikely to improve.

Perspectives with Wenchi Yu

YouTube: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLkK1a7U8kP0TgXhvI5Bj70H4cPPlapCdQ&si=RuA_jZROR2ynRbxH

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6kXiEF08IjtT3j1DyEnBbG?si=68ab3ea172594620

Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/perspectives-with-wenchi-yu/id1793854395